BREAKING NEWS - Fort Lewis,
Washington (June 22, 2006) - U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren K.
Watada reported to duty at 2:00 a.m. early this morning and refused
orders to move to the adjacent McChord Air Force Base to prepare to
fly to Iraq. Lt. Watada believes that the war and occupation in Iraq
are illegal, and thus participation in the war is also illegal. At
this time he has been restricted to base and has been ordered to
have no communication with non-military personnel.

Lt.
Watada’s attorney Eric Seitz said, “This morning Lt. Watada has been
restricted to base without any actual charges or proper process. By
placing a complete gag order on Lt. Watada, the military has again
shown that their first concern is silencing Lt. Watada's speech in
opposition to the illegal war in Iraq. We will immediately challenge
these highly questionable and improper restrictions." Mr. Seitz is
currently the only non-military person authorized to have any
contact with Lt. Watada.

Lt.
Watada is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse
deployment to the war in Iraq. By refusing to participate in the
on-going Iraq war and occupation, Lt. Watada joins a growing number
of high ranking military officers, West Point graduates, and current
and former members of the armed services who have expressed their
opposition to the actions of the United States in Iraq. Lieutenant
Watada’s refusal comes in the wake of a series of charges and
convictions against lower ranking soldiers for participation in
war-related crimes: 9 Marines charged with premeditated murder
yesterday, charges of a massacre in Haditha, Iraq and convictions at
Abu Ghraib Prison.

Lt.
Watada faces possible court-martial charges for refusing to
participate in the Iraq war and occupation and intends to defend
himself based on the illegality of the Iraq war and occupation. Lt.
Watada, age 28, was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii where he
enlisted in the Army and was obligated to serve on active duty as an
Army officer for a term of three years concluding on December 3,
2006. Lt. Watada was stationed at Ft. Lewis in January 2006, when
he first asked to resign his commission because as he stated, "I am
whole-heartedly opposed to the continued war in Iraq, the deception
used to wage this war, and the lawlessness that has pervaded every
aspect of our civilian leadership."

On June
27, a national day of action in support of Lt. Watada and
coordinated through the website www.ThankYouLt.org will take place
in dozens of US cities, including: Ft. Lewis, WA; Tacoma, WA;
Honolulu, HI; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Harrisburg, PA; San
Francisco, CA; Oklahoma City, OK; Atlanta, GA; Corvallis, OR;
Medford, OR; New York City, NY; and Pittsburgh, PA.

Lt.
Watada’s mother, Carolyn Ho, who flew in from Honolulu, Hawaii to
support her son, said today, “My son’s decision to refrain from
deploying to Iraq comes through much soul searching. It is an act
of patriotism. It is a statement to all Americans, to men and women
in uniform, that they need not remain silent out of fear, that that
they have the power to turn the tide of history: to stop the
destruction of a country and the killing of untold numbers of
innocent men, women, and children. It is a message that states
unequivocally that blindly following orders is no longer an option.
My son, Lt. Watada’s stance is clear. He will stay the course. I
urge you to join him in this effort.”

Judy
Linehan, of Military Families Speak Out said, “As the mother of an
officer who deployed to Iraq with Lt Ehren Watada’s Stryker Brigade
in their first mission, I know the human cost of war intimately. I
stand in solidarity with Lt Watada as he breaks ranks with a
Commander-in-Chief who has flouted international law with impunity
in the prosecution of this illegal war and occupation of an unarmed
country. The lieutenant’s quiet resolve and quest for truth facing
into our government’s fabricated deceptions carry hope to a world
that trusts in the rule of law. Thank you, Lt Watada, for your
courageous stand.”